Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt

Andrew Coleman is perhaps best known for his alter ego Animals on Wheels. Under that moniker, he released two albums and an EP for the highly respected Ninja Tune label, in addition to numerous 12"s and compilation appearances on his own landmark Bovinyl imprint. Along with Bovinylmate Adam "Vert" Butler, Coleman was largely responsible for the UK jungle offshoot "drill n' bass" scene. For his debut full-length under his own name, Everything? represents both a departure and a logical progression from his Animals on Wheels work. Gone are the rapid-fire breakbeats and abrupt mood shifts of the past. Instead, Coleman has emphasized the rich melodic textures that always held the foundation of his best work. Piano & guitar lines are set adrift over a gentle bath of electronic rhythms and synthesized percussion. These sounds seem even more perfectly realized when you consider the fact that Andrew lives and records his music on a houseboat.